Many of us go to countries, such as India, Peru and Turkey for short holidays. Few Canadians go there for lengthy work or educational stays, so we don’t have an opportunity to fully experience the culture shock that comes with living in a completely different culture.

International students who travel to the Great White North for post-secondary studies also face the many challenges of embracing a new lifestyle in entirely new surroundings.

Approximately 5,000 international students will be studying at Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions during the 2014-15 academic school year, including about 125-150 at SIAST’s Palliser Campus in Moose Jaw.

Some of them will be here for one or two semesters, while others will complete their entire program in the Friendly City with hopes of finding a long-term career and settling down in our community.

However, many of them will require some level of assistance in the early stages of their tenures here. They too, will experience some form of culture shock and it’s our job as the Friendly City to be there to assist them with questions they have about things like grocery stores, bus routes and bill payments.

The Canada Homestay Network, (CHN) which is present in 25 Canadian communities, provides international post-secondary students with support in the form of a family home for them to bond with its residents and experience aspects of Saskatchewan life they might otherwise have trouble with on their own.

It’s not necessary for all international students to apply for admittance into the CHN program, but it’s another option for them.

It’s never bad to have extra options when trying to adapt to your new day-to-day life, especially when the customary traditions you’re used to aren’t at your fingertips. The CHN provides that option for students, an option that continues to gain more traction in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and Canada.